House Votes to Codify Federal Urban Bird Conservation Program
The House of Representatives on Sept. 14, 2026, passed the Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2026 (H.R. 3276) by a vote of 345 to 60, with 27 members not voting.
The bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to establish the Urban Bird Treaty Program — a program for the voluntary conservation of birds and their habitats in urban areas. Under the program, the Service would work with agencies, nongovernmental organizations, community groups, and academic institutions to protect, restore, or enhance urban habitats for birds, reduce urban hazards to birds, and engage communities in monitoring birds and their habitats.
The measure would also establish a competitive grant program to award funds to eligible entities, which the Director may arrange for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to administer. It authorizes an annual budget of $200,000 through Fiscal Year 2033, consistent with the program's current funding levels. According to the committee report, the Urban Bird Treaty Program currently operates based on the Service's organic authorities without specific congressional authorization, and the bill would give it a statutory footing.
Supporters have framed the bill as a response to steep bird losses. The Natural Resources Committee, reporting the bill, pointed to the economic stakes, noting that nearly 96 million Americans participate in birdwatching every year, generating $279 billion in annual economic output and supporting approximately 1.4 million jobs nationwide. Not everyone endorsed the measure: in testimony on the bill, the Interior Department said that while the Service appreciates the goals of H.R. 3276 and supports partners working in conservation, it does not support the bill as it appears to duplicate existing programs while spending even more tax dollars.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Dingell, was taken up under a motion to suspend the rules and pass — a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority. The measure cleared that threshold and now heads toward the Senate.
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